China Raises Ship that Sank 800 Years Ago Loaded with Treasures

Chinese archeologists have raised a merchant ship from the bottom of the China Sea that sank 800 years ago during the Song Dynasty.

Named the "Nanhai No. 1" or "South China Sea No. 1," the ancient ship was filled with treasures, including more than 4,000 containers made of gold, silver and porcelain. Archeologists also discovered 6,000 copper coins aboard the vessel.

A new museum built to house the resurrected ship will open next year, where visitors can watch the excavation of the ship from silt encrusted on it.

"Nanhai 1" was discovered in 1987 off the coast near Yangjiang city. It has been recognized as one of the oldest and largest merchant vessels sunk in the sea.

China's Xinhua news agency says archaeologists began in May building a steel basket as tall as a three-story building to raise the vessel. It quotes the head of the archeological project as saying an estimated 60,000 to 80,000 items still remain onboard the ship.